Smart bulbs light the way for Internet of Things

LAS VEGAS – To see the brightest new ideas at this year’s biggest consumer technology tradeshow, look no further than the light bulbs.

These aren’t the ordinary, everyday filaments — they’re Wi-Fi-connected, chip-embedded, LED bulbs that can be programmed from across the room or around the world.

And they’re lighting the way for a wave of new gadgets on display here at the International CES, where once-mundane household devices are turning into smart, customizable tools that bring the future into the home.

There are Bluetooth-enabled keyless door locks, voice-controlled online thermostats, and a product called Mother that uses a network of sensors to detect if you’re home, eating properly and taking your medication.

This growing list of Web-connected devices is dubbed the Internet of Things — and it’s a sign that the tech world is exploring ideas beyond smarter phones and bigger TVs.

By 2020 the Internet of Things will include 26 billion devices, with a market worth of $1.9 trillion, according to the Gartner research firm.

But people may need some time getting accustomed to dimming their lights with their iPhones — a much-hyped feature for the Connected lighting system by TCP.

“It’s a big leap from what we have today,” said Dave Geraci, a TCP product manager. “You go from something that’s an everyday item that they’ve been using all their lives with a flick of a switch and now it’s much more complex, but much easier to use and allows more control. There are some people that aren’t ready to take that leap yet, but once they try it, they’re hooked.”

There’s a nice symmetry in smart light bulbs blazing the trail for the Internet of Things. When electric wires first appeared in homes in the early 20th century, the sole purpose was electric light. But inventors soon found other ways to use that wiring, giving rise to electric appliances like irons and vacuum cleaners.
Recently, a new generation of Bluetooth technology, fingernail-sized processors and lower power, lower cost sensors has given technologists new ways to use an Internet originally designed to connect computers.

“It’s a perfect analogy,” said Brian Bedrosian, senior director of wireless connectivity for Broadcom, an Orange County semiconductor company that makes chips powering the Internet of Things. “What the Internet means now is constant connectivity to any device.”

The privacy and security implications still need to be explored. But the possibilities for the Internet of Things are endless.

“We can go everywhere from here,” Bedrosian said. “There’s nothing that can’t be connected and there’s nothing that you can’t find some very simple use for to make it more pleasurable or make it an easier way of living your life.”